Canadians Could Still Get Long Prison Sentences For Weed After Legalization

Canada has gotten a lot of praise for its upcoming forward-thinking, ahead-of-its-time national weed legalization. Many media outlets, including this one, have praised the Canadian government and Prime Minister Trudeau for rolling out a progressive plan to legalize the sale of cannabis by July 2018. But, despite the trailblazing legalization, Canada’s proposed plan has some disproportionately harsh sentences for marijuana-related infractions.

As of next summer, Canadians over the age of 18 will be able to purchase and possess up to 30 grams of weed and up to four plants per residence. Sounds pretty nifty, but there is one thing that’s kind of odd about our neighbors the north and their Cannabis Act. If buying and possessing weed is going to be such a chill proposition, then why are lawmakers still proposing prison sentences of up to 14 years for selling to a minor or possessing more than the allotted number of cannabis plants.

As VICE illustrated recently, the future of marijuana law in Canada has some pretty grim cracks in its weed-happy utopian facade. Here are some of the harsh facets of cannabis law currently being proposed in Canada:

Selling cannabis to a minor or using a minor to commit a cannabis-related crime

Punishable from 18 months to 14 years in prison

Selling cannabis without a license

Punishable from 18 months to 14 years in prison

Possession of over 30 grams dried flower

Punishable from 6 months to 5 years in prison

Possession of marijuana that came from outside the legal system

Punishable from 6 months to 5 years in prison

Possession of more than four flowering cannabis plants

Punishable from 6 months to 14 years in prison

Possession of more than four non-flowering cannabis (hemp) plants

Punishable from 6 months to 5 years in prison

Holy cow! So, if these laws go into effect, you could go to prison for possessing too much weed or growing too much hemp. These restrictions make clear that though cannabis is legal, it’s not to be treated like other taxed, age-restricted substances like alcohol and tobacco.

These laws also set up a potentially confusing landscape for Canadian cannabis consumers. If growing weed is legal, it might not seem like no big deal to sell a little to your friend or grow a few too many plants. It’s a little like having to face a prison sentence for possessing too much beer.